Taika: The Quest Begins
by Chihuahuagal13
Summary: Taika has the Gift. Her parents don't know, though. When she hears about a mage that travels around the country training young people who have the Gift, she must decide what it is that she wants to do with her life.
1. Chapter 1

Spring 470 H.E.

Dear Journal,

This being my first journal, I don't know what to write. Maybe I should start with introducing myself. My name is Taika of Tirragon. I am 14 years old. I enjoy horseback riding, reading, Shang Hai and fencing. It's a bit of a mix of interests. My mother wanted me to become a knight and my father wanted me to become a scholar. They both abandoned the idea of me becoming a lady years ago. The thing is, I … well, I have the Gift. See, that's what I want to be. I don't want to be a knight, besides, I'm too old. I definitely don't want to be a scholar. Blugh. Me? A scholar? I'd rather be kidnapped by pirates. Well, not really, but I could never be a scholar. The only catch about training as a mage is that my parents don't know that I have the Gift. Even if I told them, they'd never let anyone train me as a mage. They don't like magic. Uh oh. I have to go, my parents are coming. I don't want them to see this journal.

Taika

Spring 470 H.E.

Dear Journal,

Guess what! A Shang Hai warrior was in town today. It was the Shang Unicorn. She remembered me from last time she was here. She agreed to teach me a bit while she's in town. I think she considers me a joke, but she seemed impressed by how quickly I learned and how much I already knew.

Taika

Spring 470 H.E.

Dear Journal,

The Shang Unicorn told me something today. She told me about this woman who seeks out young mages and trains them for free. The thing is, she's not just some hedgewitch, she's a fully trained mage AND she was trained by priests in the City of Gods. I decided to tell the Shang Unicorn about my Gift. She smiled knowledgably at me.

"I assumed that you were hiding something. Even for your talent, Shang Hai is not your dream. Is it?" she said.

"No, but how do I find this woman?" I said.

"She can be found here and there. I have met her in passing time and again. I suppose you will have to use magic to find her. She is a mage, but if you want a general direction, last time I saw her, she was heading towards Barony Olau. I believe she and Sir Myles are old acquaintances," she said.

I think I might go after her. It would be amazing to be trained by a professional mage. Wow. That's it, I've decided. I'm going to try to find her. The only problem is that I'm going to have to tell my parents. Speaking of which, here they come. Wish me luck!

Taika


	2. Chapter 2

Sorry I took so long to get this up. I misplaced the notebook I was writing in. – Chihuahuagal13

Spring 470 H.E.

Dear Journal,

I did it. I talked to my parents about my Gift. They officially hate me. The conversation went something like this:

"Mother, Father, I have to talk to you."

"What is it?" asked my father.

"Well, I uh, well you see, I… I have the Gift."

An explosion followed. My mother rambled on about me hiding this from her all these years while my father shouted something about how magic was bad.

"Wait! Listen to me for just a moment. I am leaving. I am going to search for someone who will teach me," as my parents both started to object, I interrupted. "You have told me for years to figure out what I want to do with my life, well now I've figured it out. I'm going to train as a mage. I just figured you would want to know why I was leaving." With that, I turned around and pulled out my bag. My father started to shout at me, but my mother pulled him out t the door. My mother was slightly more reasonable than my father was and I hoped that she had accepted what I was going to do. I must continue to pack.

-Taika

Spring 470 H.E.

Dear Journal,

My parents had in fact not accepted why I want to be a mage. Instead, I am now sitting in the attic with boxes of stuff we haven't used in years. They decided to move my room from the first floor to the attic so I would not get any ideas about running away. I am officially grounded also. I now have nothing else to do with my time other than write, and even that has to be done secretly. I guess I should tell you why my parents hate magic so much.

You see, it happened a long time ago, way before I was born. My mother and father had just been lovers back then. My mother was a Queen's Rider while my father was a scholar. Well, one day they met at the market. It was almost love at first sight. Soon they were sneaking out late and I was conceived. Because of the pregnancy, my mother and father retired to my father's property Tirragon. It was here that the life-changing event happened. You see, my parents, now married, were walking through the garden when all of a sudden Christopher, my father's best friend, walked out from behind some bushes. He said nothing, nor did he move anything other than his eyes, but almost immediately, the garden was on fire. Briars grew up, blocking the pathway out of the garden. My mother started crying and Christopher disappeared. The only reason they survived is because, one maid happened to see the fire and called for help. She is the only reason I am alive today. Because of that unfortunate event though, my parents have never trusted a mage again. They also haven't allowed me to meet any.

So, that's why I'm here now. Uh oh. I hear footsteps! Bye!

-Taika

Spring 470 H.E.

Dear Journal,

I have to be really careful now. There's a peephole in the wall and one of my parents comes to check on me at irregular intervals. I really need to get out of here! The only way I'm going to learn anything about magic is to get out and find someone to teach me. Until then, I'm stuck.

-Taika

Spring 470 H.E.

Dear Journal,

Oh my goodness! I was looking around the attic and I found a secret panel behind a stack of boxes. I opened it and it led to a hidden room! You'll never be able to guess what I found! The room was no bigger than a closet, but it was jam packed with books about magic! The problem is, all but one of the books are in a different language. All I could understand was the word 'magiycka', which obviously means magic. The one book that was in Common, though, is amazing. It's full of detailed instructions on how to do a variety of useful spells. Well, they're useful if you're not locked in an attic. One of the spells was for unlocking. Maybe… No. that would never work. It would be impossible to get by my mother. She was a Queen's Rider! If I unlock the door, the click alone will wake her up! There is the window though… Maybe I can get out that way. I could use the spell to unlock it and then I might be able to crawl down the rose trellis. I have my bag still. It's packed and everything. They just threw it in here after me. Maybe…

-Taika

Spring 470 H.E.

Dear Journal,

I'm out! I did it! Yesterday night I unlocked the window and climbed down the rose trellis. I used the unlock spell and a muffling spell so my parents wouldn't wake up. As soon as I hit the ground, I slowly made my way out of the grounds. I don't think any guards saw me. When I got to the gate, I started to dart out and the gatekeeper almost saw me! I didn't realize he stayed out there so long! Luckily, he was just leaving, but I could have sworn that he was peering into the bush I was behind as he walked by. When he was out of sight, I quickly slipped out the gate started walking. At the moment, I am sitting in the kitchen of a little known tavern in a neighboring town. I agreed to work here for two days board and food. I have been saving half of every meal that I eat and as soon as I finish breakfast, I will be on my way. Well, this is it. I'm free. I can make my future look like I want it to look. Now, if only I knew where the mage woman is.

-Taika


End file.
